A Guide to the GRE/Radicals
Radicals
[edit | edit source]Radicals can be multiplied and divided, and perfect squares can be extracted.
A radical is a number which equals another number if multiplied by itself a given number of times. The most common type of radical is the square root. Square roots can be multiplied and divided, as indicated above, but they cannot be added or subtracted.does not necessarily equal , but does equal
It is generally frowned upon placing a radical in the denominator of a fraction. To remove a radical from the denominator, multiply both the numerator and the denominator by the radical. For example,
Practice
[edit | edit source]In these problems, solve for x.
1.
2.
3.
Answers to Practice Questions
[edit | edit source]1.
Take the initial equation.
Multiply both sides by
Divide both sides by 3.
2. y = 3
Take the initial equation.
Square both sides.
Work out the parentheses.
Subtract 5 from both sides.
3.
Take the initial equation.
Multiply both sides by
Divide both sides by 7.